


The Carols End

by Hawkscape



Category: A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
Genre: Afterlife, Chains, Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, The Void
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:21:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24973012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hawkscape/pseuds/Hawkscape
Summary: After Scrooge's long life he gets his final reward, but what of Marley? Must he suffer forever? Scrooge can't stand it.
Relationships: Jacob Marley & Ebenezer Scrooge
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	The Carols End

It was true that after Ebenezer Scrooge's faithful Christmas he kept the Christmas spirit in his heart forever. In good times and bad and he was ever grateful for it and for what Jacob Marley had done. But no man may escape death even as he lived longer than he would have if he had suffered alone with no one by his side. 

But he still died and as he faded off a familiar foggy glow overcame his senses as he suddenly felt better then he had in a long while.

He got up from his bed for what seemed like the first time in a long while. He tried to talk to the people around him. A tall lanky man who only walked with a slight limp from his youth. A bespeckled fellow who stayed by him with his ledger so he wouldn't have to leave even to work. His nephew who dropped by for longer and longer every time. But none of them seemed to look up or to acknowledge him. Only hanging their heads.

It had taken him longer then it should, but then when one has lived able to not be seen or heard, you don't forget completely. It made his heart sink for understandable reasons, but then he didn't have a heart anymore did he?

He heard the sound like a creaking gate that shot a cold bolt up his spine. The room suddenly darkened and faded around him as he turned to see a dark shrouded figure. In that moment he looked down, hesitant as he always was to look at anything in the presence of this spector. He knew what he felt and how he had lived. What chains he had forged. He saw the shadow of them, as if there has been long before, so long they had pressed divots and shadows into his wrists. And yet they were not there now.

He couldn't help the bark of laughter that escaped him as he felt his soul grow ten times lighter. He looked up to see the shrouded being hallowed by light in the fog. “You've come for me once more?” The being nodded slowly. He huffed another laugh, for why shouldn't he laugh now that he had no more worry about anything mortal? At least concerning his own form. “Well, I assure you that it was not a wasted trip this time.”

Truthfully, while he was still stricken with cold fear by the entity it didn't strike the terror it did before. When he was alone perhaps. He rubbed his hands together as if he was cold but truly he didn't feel the draft he had the last time he was in this place. “Please lead the way, I will follow.” He hesitated before holding out his arm. The entities cloak blew in the fog despite there being no wind. Scrooge wondered if he was in error but slowly the being reached out its pale and creaking hand before taking it gently. More gently then he would have imagined. He wanted to recoil from the boney flesh so full of death, but he supposed he would soon look the same if not worse.

And he heard a small shout. Far away and faded.

It was Tim, saying something, calling his name perhaps. He was crying. Scrooge wanted to comfort him, but he knew he was beyond that now. He hoped he'd done all he could. “Goodbye…” He spoke out quietly before he turned forward into the fog. “Well let’s be on our way.”

And they began to walk. He didn't know how long. He didnt tire, but he did wonder where they were going. He didn't know if he was bound for heaven or hell or wandering forever. He didn't have much to look at through the fog. At some points he seemed to perhaps see figures or faces long forgotten tugging at the back of his mind as he walked, but as soon as he tried to look closer it would always shift.

Finally, he turned to the most consistent thing around him, for what was more consistent than death? He knew whatever he asked the being wouldn't answer but it didn't mean he couldn't speak. “I know it most likely doesn't mean much to someone of your stature but I appreciate what it is you did for me. I know I did not act as such but-“ He chanced a look at the spector. He saw nothing but a darkened cloak and perhaps the hint of a death's head. He clicked his mouth shut and gave a slight false smile. “Thank you.” The entity didn't do much for a long moment until it nodded slowly.

It was a lot longer until he could muster up the courage to speak again even if he knew he wouldn't get an answer. “Will we be walking forever? I have no...illusions about getting into heaven if one exists, I simply think this would be quite a waste of your time. But then time does not work quite right for you does it?” A sharp sound like a squealing iron gate assaulted him. He flinched. “Didn't mean to upset you…” They walked in silence once more and Scrooge was sure he was dead as he could never walk this far without a cane otherwise.

He heard a faint sound and it caused him to stop. Like rattling chains. He looked at himself. Still free from the weight. He heard it again. He stopped and the future ghost did as well. “Did you hear that?”

He didn't know why he asked that. Force of habit.

He heard it again. He tried to look into the darkness one more. He thought he saw a glimpse of a face and another rattle. “...Marley?”

A pale man coelesed out of the fog and darkness. He looked just as worn and weighed down as he had before. “Jacob!” He couldn't help, but step towards him. 

“Ebenezer Scrooge.” He said low and sorrowful. The man's mouth moved only minutely before it flicked into a small smile. Scrooge had never known Marley to smile, only smirk. It died just as he had. “I see they somehow got through that thick skull of yours.”

Scrooge looked slightly sheepish as he glanced at the reaper and back at Marley. “Yes, I didn't make it easy.” He admitted. “But I thank you. More than I could ever express.” He stepped forward and grabbed the man's shoulders. He was dusty as the tomb and twice as cold as his fingers brushed against the chains.

“It was the hardest deal I've ever made.” The man admitted in a low even tone. Scrooge looked down at the bonds and boxes he still carried and the marks on his own soul. “...You saved me, Jacob. Is there nothing I can do for you?”

The man's dead, drooping eyes widened before he shook his head sadly, rattling. “I'm afraid not.”

Scrooge furrowed his brow as he started to continue to speak, but then an echoing voice reached him. 

“Ebenezer? Ebenezer are you there?” He turned around as the memory of his heart jumped.

“Fanny?” It was his sister. Dear little Fanny. He took a step towards her voice before freezing and turning back to Marley. The man was staring past him. “You've never met Fanny, have you?” He took the man's stiff hand. “Come, you must meet her.”

He tried to lead him but he did not move. “I cannot Ebenezer. My weights won’t allow me. They become too heavy to move at the least if I come close to the light.”

Scrooge was stricken. Truly the man couldn't be stuck here forever? He had not been the best man, but he had known worse. He had been worse, in his own mind. To wander forever for the sins of a finite life?

He observed the man and his chains. “Perhaps I could help you carry them?” Now that he didn't have to worry about the aches of his body he imagined he could lift much more. But again these were not normal weights. He knelt down and attempted to pick up one of the boxes. It was heavy, yes, but not unbearable. He grunted and pulled it against his chest. “They are heavy, but between the two of us, I think we can manage it.”

Marley looked at him with resignation and shook his head. “Go to your reward Ebenezer, my chains cannot be moved by man.”

Scrooge didn't get as far as he did in business without being stubborn. He looked towards the faded light he could see in the distance. “Perhaps if we just tr-” He took a step towards the light, holding the box before it seemed to be ripped from his hands at a sudden addition of weight. It clattered to the floor loudly and Scrooge quickly tried to pick it up once more but it felt not just heavy, but affixed to the ground. He tried to push it and it did nothing. Marley tugged on it and it came back to him easily, but any movement forward caused it to stop like the dead weight it was.

Marley thankfully did not treat him as a fool. Scrooge looked stricken. “Jacob you are my greatest friend. You saved me from my own hubris, I cannot simply let you waste away in this blackness for all time.”

The man shook his head. “You do not have a choice Ebenezer. It is how these things are.”

“I could...come visit. See you so you don't become lonely.” Even to his own ears it sounded hollow and paper thin.

That actually managed to get a laugh out of the man even if it was a sick sad thing. “I would not ask you to leave eternal love for me. Would we stand in the nothingness talking on days past and things done while you long rightfully to return to your happiness? This is my burden Ebenezer, not anyone else's. Seeing you free from it is happiness enough.”

He couldn't believe the man was being serious. As if he could just forget him here. He looked towards the light. It seemed to get closer the longer he stared at it even if he knew he didn't move. His sister. His mother. Old Fezziwig. He could finally say everything he'd meant to. Everything he should have.

His eyes shifted over to the cloaked figure that he was almost surprised was still there. He approached the figure, still scared by its looming figure and foreboding nature but spurred on by his concern. “Isn't there anything that can be done?” He knew he shouldn't be this free with speaking with a force so strong, but he had to do something.

The entity regarded him unknowingly before shifting to look at Marley. Marley didn't flinch, the entity having no more power over him to suffer any more. Concrete in the fact that he was doomed. Resigned.

The entity turned back to scrooge allowing him to fill in his own answer. The man huffed a breath he had not quite realised he didn’t have to take anymore.

He looked to the side to think into the darkness before his eyes fell on his own still indented wrists. He grit his teeth and laced his finger together. “Could I take some of his chains from him. After all, he took my own chains from me. It’s only right.” He looked to the shrouded figure. A sharp screech of a rusted gate made him wish to flinch, but he didn't, remaining resolute.

“Ebenezer!” It was the first sign of strong emotion he'd seen from the ghost since seeing him once more. He felt a cold hand on his arm. The ghost pulled to face him. “I will not allow you to do something so foolish and useless.”

“And I will not allow you to suffer needlessly for your own pride.”

They both stared at each other, one who had already defied death and one was fully prepared to himself. Hard heads who butted up against each other in much as life as death.

“I won't let you. I shall leave and never let you find me again.” Jacobs eyes burned with fury.  
“I’ll follow you and hound you relentlessly.”

“A sin is a man's own and no one else's. Enjoy what I can't you foolish old man, or else everything will have been for nothing.” A hint of desperation was in his voice. So unlike the cold determined man.

It's what finally made Scrooge relentless. He grabbed the man's hand as if trying to warm him even if it did no good. “I will come visit you. For however long you have to wander I will find you. To help you, if only as a distraction.”

Marley's face lost some of its fury. “...Thank you, my friend. Be happy.”

He wouldn't be unhappy whenever his future was, but without his best friend he knew it wouldn't be complete. The promise wasn’t just for Marley, but for him as well.

The sound of screech mental shook them out of their conversation as they looked to see the hooded spector. It pointed at their joined hands still ringed in chains. Was he being taken up on his offer? Could help?

Marley would not let it happen as he tried to move away. He was able to release the man, but he couldn't move backwards as his chains and boxes suddenly weighed more than he had ever felt. He strained against them. He didn't understand. He was moving away from the light.

Scrooge wasn't sure what was happening but he quickly grabbed onto the man to help pull him as well. He knew it shouldn't work, but he had to do something. They pulled against the spectral chains harder than trying to pull against a brick building.

The chains rattled and strained and there was a small sharp ring that made them both pause before another louder metallic ring sounded out as one of the links broke and they both stumbled backwards.

They both froze and looked at the suddenly limp chains. Marley held the small amount of links still connected to his arms in confusion. “W-what is this?” He looked at the specter in front of him. More rusting groans, but it seemed to reverberate all around him. The chains strung around them began to rust and rot and disintegrate into dust leaving only the few shackles on his extremities. Jacob looked fearful of seeing Ebenezer in the same chance, but only saw the man looking as perplexed as him.

Ebenezer starred as him before his face split into a grin. He started laughing hysterically as he put his hands on the man's shoulders. “You're free!”

Scrooge quickly grabbed his arm to pull him towards the light. His legs felt like lead but not for any ghastly reason. “I don't understand. How is this possible?” He dragged his heels and looked for the hooded figure, but it was gone.

Even Scrooge stopped at that. “Where has he gone?”

“The chain of suffering broken…” Marley looked down at his wrists.

Ebenezer took his arm again. “I supposed he doesn't have to lead us anymore, we can probably make our way from here.” He motioned at the light as it seems to be getting brighter.

They both looked into the light before starting to walk towards it, Marley leaning on his companion to keep him moving. “I suppose you're right.”

“...Thank you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments fuel me!  
> Feel free to message me!  
> I also make drawings and animations!  
> https://www.youtube.com/c/HawkScape  
> http://hawkscape.deviantart.com/


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